The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Thursday approved a men's basketball rules change for the 2023-24 season to the legal guarding position on block/charge scenarios involving defenders around the basket.
Under the new rule, a defender will have to be in position to draw a charge at the time an offensive player plants a foot to go airborne to attempt a field goal. If the defender arrives after the offensive player plants a foot to launch toward the basket, officials will be instructed to call a block when contact occurs between the two players.
A secondary defender still would have to be outside the restricted-area arc to legally draw a charge.
Previously, defenders had to be in position to draw a charge before the offensive player went airborne.
NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee members made the proposal after receiving feedback from the membership that too many charges are being called on these types of plays. Through the years, block/charge calls have been among the toughest for officials to judge.
The rules committee thinks the change will give officials more time to officiate these plays.
Other rule changes
- An optional rule will allow for preloaded/live video to be transmitted to the bench area. This has been an experimental rule for the past two years.
- Officials will be able to review goaltending/basket interference calls during the next media timeout to ensure the calls were accurate, as long as the official calls it on the floor. If there is a foul on the shooter while the ball is in the air with a goaltend/basket interference, the review would be immediate to properly adjudicate the potential free throws.
- Bench personnel who are not students will be allowed to serve as peacekeepers when an altercation occurs.
- Under two minutes, when a coach requests an out-of-bounds play be reviewed, that team will be charged a timeout if the original call is not overturned.
- Anytime the ball hits the rim and the offense retains possession in the front court, the shot clock will reset to 20 seconds.
- If a player is called for a foul and instant replay officials see that the foul is a direct result of a flagrant 1 or flagrant 2 foul against the player who was originally assessed a foul, officials will be allowed to remove the foul on the player who was flagrantly fouled.
- A timeout will be able to be granted when a player has possession of the ball even though the player is airborne. (An example would be a player grabbing a loose ball and calling timeout before landing out of bounds.)
- If a player commits three flagrant 1 fouls in a game, the player will be disqualified from the game.
- Players will be allowed to wear numbers 0-99.
- Schools will no longer have to submit a waiver for players to wear religious headwear, provided it is safe for competition.
- Red and amber lights will be allowed on the backboard.
The rules committee also approved experimental rules for the 2023-24 season:
- To continue the experimental rule with the standard media timeout format in the second half (first dead ball under 17 minutes, 14, 11, eight and four) for any interested conference, as well as in the National Invitation Tournament.
- In the NIT, widening the lane to 16 feet.
Note: The experimental rules for the NIT must be approved by the NIT Board.
